Chapter 13

The moment the two blond girls stepped inside the lab with Annie, Clara knew trouble was brewing.

They didn’t smile as their mother introduced everyone. In fact, the girls were close to glowering. Their reception couldn’t be more different than Amelia’s bright and sunny welcome.

Clara straightened her spine and stepped toward them. Somehow she would win them over, for Annie’s sake. The poor woman looked as pale as if she’d seen a ghost. Clara put an arm around her as she looked at the girls.

“It’s wonderful to meet you both,” she said, forcing a bright smile. “Your mom tells me you’re growing up fast, and I can see she’s absolutely right. My goodness, Flynn. Aren’t they beautiful?”

He set his mixer aside and forced a similarly bright smile. “Yes, and fashionable too, Aunt. How was school?”

“Fine,” Iris said, taking her sister’s hand. “We have homework. Mom, is it okay if we go to our rooms?”

Annie looked stricken. “I was going to introduce you to Mr. Hale.”

“We can meet him later,” Eloise said, pulling her sister toward the door.

“Yeah, later,” Iris echoed, and they left without any further ado, letting the door slam behind them. 

“I’m sorry about that,” she said. The dear girl’s face had flushed a deep pink. “Flynn, I told them you were special to me and that you were coming over for a date. The whole thing went bad. I’m so sorry they were rude to all of you.”

Clara patted her back. “Telling them you liked our Flynn here took courage. There’s nothing to apologize for.”

Then Flynn was pulling Annie into his arms, and Clara stepped aside to give them a moment.

“You told them?” he said softly. “That was brave. No wonder they looked stricken. Annie, it’s going to take some time for them to get used to me—us. I promise we’re going to figure this out.”

“I know it,” she said. “I reminded myself of all that by reading a book Emily gave me about dating again after your husband dies. It’s always a big transition for the kids. Maybe even more so than dating after a divorce, according to some of the experts. I know I can’t sacrifice my happiness because they don’t like things. An unhappy parent only creates an even unhappier child. What I need to figure out is how to get them to see what I see. How wonderful you are for me, and for them ultimately.”

“It’s only the first couple of days, Annie,” Flynn said. “Give it time.”

“Yes, dear,” Clara said, eyeing Hargreaves, who was standing stock-still at his station. “We’ll leave you two alone for a minute. That way, I can check on Arthur. Hargreaves?”

Efficient man that he was, he retrieved their coats in short order and helped her into hers before donning his own. 

“Thank you, Aunt,” Flynn said, his green eyes narrowed in worry.

They left the lab and walked to the house. She and Hargreaves let themselves inside and then hung up their coats. “It’s quiet as a church mouse in here,” she said.

He simply nodded. “I’ll see about a few items, Madam. Would you like some tea?”

“I’d love some. Thank you.”

She stepped farther into the house, listening for any sound that would tell her where to find Arthur. Walking through someone’s house when they weren’t there was unsettling, and she wondered if she should simply return to the kitchen. Then she went to the dining room and found her husband sitting at the table, reading on the tablet she’d suggested he buy to keep up with all his newspaper reading. Sure, he liked to read his newspapers in print, but when they traveled, he didn’t have that luxury.

“Where’s Amelia?” she asked.

“She fell asleep,” he said, setting his tablet aside. “Honestly, if I wasn’t supposed to be babysitting, I’d nap too. God, I forgot how exhausting kids that age are. They never sit down. Also, I just met the twins. They informed me they were going to their room to do their homework. I figured from the jaunty angle of their chins it would be best for me not to make small talk.”

She pulled out a chair and sat down heavily, suddenly feeling as tired as he did. “You’d be right. Annie told them about her and Flynn.”

He stroked his chin. “Ah… Good for her. I’m sure they knew anyway. Kids don’t like to be treated like they’re idiots.” He took her hand. “It’s a puzzle, this one. I thought about it while I watched Amelia make a fort in the snow earlier. I’ve never had to win children over like this. The other Merriams seem easy now. It may have only been a couple of days, but I’m finding this one a challenge.”

She turned as Hargreaves brought in a pot of tea and two mugs. “I am as well. Thank you, Hargreaves. Any ideas, my good friend?”

“I would recommend calling Miss Caitlyn and telling her to bring the girls some of their own perfume. I think that gesture, along with her bubbly presence, will be most helpful.”

“Are you saying we’re chopped liver, Hargreaves?” Arthur asked, his mouth tipping up. “As old as dirt?”

Clara socked him gently and then rubbed the spot. “Speak for yourself. But you raise an excellent point, Hargreaves. I’ll call her. She should be coming next week.”

“You should also know, Madam,” Hargreaves said, “I was unable to locate a space for our purposes. If I may…”

She didn’t like where this was headed. “Please, Hargreaves.”

“It’s only a feeling, Madam, but I would say there are certain townspeople who do not want us to succeed. Again, it’s only my long time in service speaking, but usually people in small towns are helpful. The tone I heard on the other end of those calls was anything but.”

“We’re outsiders,” Arthur said, sighing heavily. “Being from a small town, I’ve seen people close ranks before.”

“Have they ever done it in Dare Valley?” She hadn’t lived in her new hometown long enough to know.

“Not very often, but a few years ago, people reacted strongly when Mac Maven bought The Grand Mountain Hotel and wanted to restore it to its former glory. Of course, Mac was smart. He hired Jill to help him with the townspeople. It made a huge difference.”

So they needed an inside person. How were they to identify them? Through Annie? 

“I also suspect a certain someone whom I spoke with today might have told a few of his friends he thinks his daughter-in-law is working too hard and the like.”

Clara nodded, realizing he was a step ahead of her. “I can believe it. Flynn figured Tom might be a problem, and your journalism instincts have never steered you wrong.”

He nodded. “You bet. But we have an ally in his wife, I believe. You might visit her for tea tomorrow on another break. She seems to want to support Annie and her business.”

She touched his hand. “Arthur Hale, aren’t you crafty?”

His lopsided smile was adorable. “I might be as old as dirt, but I’m still useful.”

Clara could think of more adjectives to describe him, but with Hargreaves around, she’d have to wait until they were alone. Still, she patted his hand. “Come, Hargreaves. I’ll call Caitlyn quickly since it’s getting late there. Then we return to our quotas. Somehow, we’re going to turn this around.”

“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm,” Hargreaves said.

“Well, that’s downright depressing,” Clara said. “It’s not as bad as that.” 

Arthur stood. “I have to agree with Clara there. It’s not even close to being a moment to quote Winston Churchill.”

“It’s always the time to quote Mr. Churchill,” Hargreaves said, making Arthur snort.

“Is that who said it?” she asked, standing as well. “He must have been a very depressed fellow. I prefer Grandpa Emmits’ old saying. ‘You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.’”

“Emmits wasn’t the first person to say that, Clara,” Arthur said with a laugh. “But I take your point.”

“Now, we’re not giving up or anything like it. Hargreaves, please fix the girls a snack. Arthur, you will deliver it to their room and make friends over red hots. Treat them as you would Jill’s twins.”

“They’re nothing like my granddaughter’s girls, Clara. Those tots are three and total terrors because their mother is like a big Labrador puppy on wheels. These girls are ten, and we’re strangers related to a guy their mom’s dating. There’s no correlation here beyond the twin factor.”

She nodded. “Fine, then help them with their homework. Arthur, we need a line here. I expect you to do your part. This might not be matchmaking, but surely it falls under the auspices.”

“I think I’d prefer to help the happy couple directly,” he said with a sigh. “Okay, let’s rustle up that snack.” He rubbed his cheeks. “Are you sure you don’t want me to try and secure a space for us in town? I could go to the local newspaper and make friends. They’re my people, Clara.”

“That will take too long,” she said, bringing up their timetable in her mind, the one Annie had walked them through after their initial training this morning. “Besides, I need you to look after the girls. We’ll figure something out.”

They always had before, hadn’t they?